Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Elayne Merry

(Non-key decision):

(1) That the council’s progress and performance for quarter 2 be received and noted.

(2) That the target for ‘The number of days taken to process new housing/council tax benefit claims’ be changed from 20 days to 23 days, in line with the national average.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Planning, considering the Council’s progress and performance in respect of key projects and targets for the second quarter of the year (July to September 2018), as detailed at appendix 1 to the report.

Good news for the quarter included Newhaven Enterprise Zone, Vote 100, Sickness absence, Welfare reform and Waste kerbside collection. Issues and action implemented during the quarter were detailed at section 4 of the report.

The Cabinet commended staff for all their hard work in driving up performance during a period of massive organisational change.

Special thanks were expressed to Rosalind Irving, Projects and Performance Analyst for their continuous work in supporting the Vote 100 events.

Visiting member, Councillor Gardiner, Chair of Scrutiny Committee addressed the Cabinet and detailed discussions of the report at Scrutiny Committee on 29 November 2018. The Scrutiny Committee made a recommendation that the target for ‘The number of days taken to process new housing/council tax benefit claims’ be changed from 20 days to 23 days, in line with the national average. The recommendation was unanimously agreed by the Cabinet.

Councillor Merry welcomed any future recommendations from Scrutiny Committee or individual councillors regarding performance targets.

Although benefits processing was reported as an issue for quarter 2, visiting member, Councillor Chartier, Chair of Audit and Standards Committee commented that the Committee recognised the complexities and extensive pressure, staff in the area were under.

Resolved (Non-key decision):

(1) That the council’s progress and performance for quarter 2 be received and noted.

(2) That the target for ‘The number of days taken to process new housing/council tax benefit claims’ be changed from 20 days to 23 days, in line with the national average.

Reason for decision:

To enable Cabinet to consider specific aspects of the Council’s progress and performance.